Here's one that will sort the Men from the Musos. Originally by Larry John McNally - his version is slightly more cred, but a lot less of a guilty pleasure - Rod pops it up with the Temptations on backing vocals and manages to create the best record of his post-70s heyday. Being pretty creaky myself, I always think of this as a pretty recent entry in the newly knighted Sir Rodney's discography, although it's now 25 years old. According to iffypedia, however, it did at the time mark his 30th year in the music biz since he first auditioned (for Joe Meek - who wasn't particularly impressed!) back in 1961.

Bring over your old Motown recordsPut the speakers in the window and we'll goOn the roof and listen to the MiraclesEcho through the alley down below...

If anyone ever asks you what the early 90s looked liked: show them this video.

Todd Snider has a very big record collection - and he takes it everywhere with him. Even on a plane. (Can someone please buy him an mp3 player?)

I got all of Booker T's, Tom T. Hall's
Bobby Bare, Belafonte and the New York Dolls
Billy Joe, Jimmy Croce, Kiss, Crosby Stills and Nash
John, June and Roseanne Cash
I got Forbert, Fromholtz, Stevie Ray
T-Birds, Yardbirds, Sam and Dave
And as some of y'all mighta guessed already
I got piles and piles and piles of...

Good to see Ms. Bailey Rae back (at last) with her third album, released just a few weeks ago... and on my list. This is the record that got her noticed in the first place, 10 years ago, and it still sounds fresh and beautiful today.

In the holy trinity of contemporary country stars (wherein Blake Shelton is the sparkly eyed pretty boy beloved of the tabloids, Brad Paisley is the honourable family man and class clown, and Eric Church is the dangerous bad boy tamed by a good woman), Church is winning out for me at the moment. I'm sure that'll change as sure as one of the other two brings out a new record, but I'm so enamoured with Mr. Church's last one, Mr. Misunderstood, they're both gonna have to work extra hard to make me put that aside. It's only ten tracks long, but so many great albums know that less is more.

I guess I really oughta call and thank you
I rediscovered Red Headed Stranger
Got down with old James Brown
And found New Grass Revival
If you find your way back, I owe you a beer
For my record year

Record Year has to put up a fight - on most other albums it would be the standout track. Simply put, it's about a guy who gets dumped by a girl... and retreats to his record collection for comfort. What is it John Cusack said at the start of Hi Fidelity...?

What came first, the music or the misery? People worry about kids
playing with guns, or watching violent videos, that some sort of culture
of violence will take them over. Nobody worries about kids listening to
thousands, literally thousands of songs about heartbreak, rejection,
pain, misery and loss. Did I listen to pop music because I was
miserable? Or was I miserable because I listened to pop music?

True blues from Billy (the only blue this Righteous Red ever gets) when he's forced to sell his vinyl...

I'm down but I'm not outLord, I'm hurtingSomebody owns all my albums nowThey probably don't even wonder howMy name got written on the sleeves...

Imagine buying a load of second hand records only to find them all signed by Billy Bragg!

Although the story's a little bit different, this song always reminds me of this classic deleted scene from the aforementioned Hi Fidelity.

1. The Mystery Jets - Greatest Hits

In my Top Ten Divorce Songs a couple of weeks back, Number One with a bullet was Lloyd Cole's Half of Everything, about a couple dividing up their belongings after a break-up. This is the record collection version of that story... see how many great old albums you can identify in The Mystery Jets' finest hour...

You can take The Lexicon of Love away
But I'm keeping Remain in Light
You can take away It's A Shame About Ray
But I'm holding on to Country Life
Well you can keep No Need To Argue and I'll keep The Aeroplane Over The Sea
But hold on to The Boy With The Arab Strap
'Cause I'm holding on to Village Green

It has nothing to do with record collections directly, but I nominate Dry The Rain by The Beta Band, simply for the scene in the movie adaptation of High Fidelity where Rob says something along the lines of "I will now sell five copies of The Three E.P.s by the Beta Band" and puts this on in the shop. You know, this scene.

You mean the scene that caused me to go out and buy The Three E.P.s by the Beta Band....only to discover the version they used in the film is massively edited to get more quickly to the hook? That scene? ;-)

About Me

About This Blog

Just the humble witterings of a middle-aged music fan from the north of England. I don't claim these lists to be definitive, I haven't heard every record ever produced (though I have heard a good number of them), I don't believe my opinion to be any more valid than yours.

I just like listening to old songs from my record collection and writing about them. Your recommendations are always welcome... if I've missed your favourite - let me know in the comments.

Click the cover to find out about my novel, available now as a kindle ebook.